Abstract: This presentation, which has been specifically researched for this conference, will:
1 Explore the history of “disclosure” in a number of countries over the years
2 Look closely at the recent “disclosure” project
3 Review what has been undertaken in Australia to date
4 Propose a specific strategy for an Australian “disclosure” project
5 Challenge Australian UFO organisations and individual researchers to become involved.
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1 Introduction

Over the last two years, in Australia, there has been much discussion of the concept of “disclosure” in relation to the UFO phenomenon. Many of you present today, will have heard of the US “Disclosure” Project headed by Dr Steven Greer which has undertaken an enormous amount of work in this direction. However, despite lots of discussion, there seems to have been very little concrete action by Australian UFO researchers about “disclosure.”

My talk today will

· Explore the history of “disclosure” in a number of countries over the years
· Look closely at the recent “disclosure” project
· Review what has been undertaken in Australia to date
· Propose a specific strategy for an Australian “disclosure” project
· Challenge Australian UFO organisations and individual researchers to become involved.

What does the use of the word “disclosure” conjure up in our minds? A strict dictionary definition states that “disclosure” means:

· to expose
· to make known
· to reveal.

After talking to a number of UFO researchers here in Australia, they tell me that they have a more precise definition as regards the use of the word “disclosure” when talking about the UFO phenomenon. What they mean by “Disclosure” is that “World Governments will reveal what they know about the UFO phenomenon to the general population.”
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Tantalizing stories of Australian Government involvement 1

In 1958 Stan Seers, then President of the Queensland Flying Saucer Research Bureau met someone who introduced himself as from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO.) This man was looking for “hot” UFO information. Contact with the group was maintained until 1970. (Good p166.)
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2 A brief review of what has been undertaken over the years in various countries

I would like to next present details of what has been undertaken over the years in a limited sampling of countries of the world. This review is not meant to be exhaustive, but more of an overview of what has been undertaken in some countries.

The United Kingdom

As early as 1955, a British member of Parliament posed a question asking “…whether the Air Ministry inquiry into the existence of “flying saucers” had been completed; and whether the Air Ministry proposes to publish a report.” The Ministry held that there had been “No formal inquiry.” (Clarke & Roberts p12.)

Twelve years later, in 1967 Sir John Langford-Hott, a Member of Parliament, lobbied the Government for access to Government UFO files. Behind the scenes in Parliament, Ufologist Julian Hennessey led this campaign looking for copies of the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) most impressive cases. However, this request for access was rejected. (Clarke & Roberts p247.)

As the Government had on occasions stated that UFOs were not a national security issue, an alternate approach was through the medium of science. Scientists from the University of London approached the MOD for access to files in 1975 but were rejected. (Clarke & Roberts p247.)

One of the UK’s premier ufologists, Jenny Randles, took up the campaign in 1978, again looking for access to Government UFO records. Eventually Jenny was told that the MOD were willing to consider providing reports on specific instances to some people. In fact, Jenny herself received some MOD reports. However this co-operation ceased in 1983. (Clarke & Roberts p249.)

Quite a few UK UFO researchers have accessed Government UFO files through the Government’s Public Record Office. As there is currently no Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in the UK, researchers needed to resort to the use of the Public Records Act, under the 30 year rule, to obtain Government documentation.

Most recently, English researchers, David Clarke and Andy Roberts have mined these archives and followed up by interviewing ex-military personnel involved in some of the events described in the archives.

Their findings were that:

· UK military personnel had observed and reported UFOs
· The UK Ministry of Defence did have an interest in UFO reports
· In the 1950’s some household names in the British Establishment formed a personal view that UFOs were extraterrestrial.

In summary Clarke and Roberts stated:

“…British Governments have followed in the footsteps of their American allies and repeatedly denied any interest in the subject. In public at least, military experts have poured scorn upon reports of sightings and justified their indifference by claiming that UFOs are of “no defence significance.” (Clarke & Roberts p1.)

Belgium

Following the large number of UFO reports over Belgium in 1989-1990, calls were made to the Belgium government for an explanation of these reports. The Belgium Minister of Defence issued a statement saying that the UFOs were not AWAC aircraft, not F-117A stealth aircraft, not teleguided military machines and not ultra light aircraft. The Minister was, however, silent on what had actually been behind the observations.

France

In 1974 Robert Galley the then French Minister of Defence, admitted in a radio interview that UFOs exist and that the French government had taken them seriously. He also revealed that the Government had a Department studying the subject since 1954. (Bourret p 75.)

By 1977 the French Government had established a Study group for Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena (GEPAN) as a Department within the French Space Agency. GEPAN concluded that on rare occasions, phenomenon occurred that were unexplained. GEPAN produced many public reports on its investigations.

In 1988 GEPAN was replaced by a group called the Atmospheric Re-entry Phenomena Expertise Department (SEPRA).

By 1998 the GEPAN/SEPRA files consisted of 3,000 UFO reports, out of which some 100 were comprehensively investigated, but only a few cases were said to have remained unidentified. (Sturrock pp131-135.)

Italy

In 1978 the Italian Ministry of Defence released a file containing six unclassified reports made by military personnel in 1977. (Good p141.)

Spain

In 1976 staff of the Spanish Air Ministry handed a file to a journalist which contained 12 of the country’s most outstanding UFO cases.

The US

The early days

Disclosure was on the mind of US researcher Donald Keyhoe as early as 1950. Speaking of a Navy officer’s report of three disc sightings which had been cleared for release by the US Department of Defence, he wrote:

“Was it an incredible slip-up? Or was it part of some carefully thought out plan? I believe it was part of an elaborate programme to prepare the American people for a dramatic disclosure.” (Keyhoe 1950 p 14.) In his concluding remarks in this book Keyhoe stated “I believe that Americans should be told the truth now.” (Keyhoe 1950 p191.)

In his 1953 book “Flying Saucers from Outer Space” Keyhoe started off his work by asking the question “What shall the public be told about the flying saucers?” The implicit question of “who” should do the telling-was that it would be the US Government. (Keyhoe 1953 p13.)

The US document trail

The US Freedom of Information Act came into being in 1966, and UFO researchers made use of it to request UFO related documents from the US Air Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Later efforts were made to extract similar documentation from the National Security Agency (NSA). Greenwood estimated that some 4,000 pages were obtained up to 1984 with a similar amount between 1985-1995 and slowing thereafter. (Greenwood pp 619 ff.) However, Clarke and Roberts wrote that by the late 1980’s some 30,000 UFO related documents had been released, including documents from the CIA and the FBI. However, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and NSA material was with held. (Clarke & Roberts p247.)

Citizens Against UFO Secrecy (CAUS) was formed in 1977 as a lobbying group to have Government agencies release all UFO materials. CAUS was involved in several high profile court cases, but CAUS ceased operation in 1982. However, it was reborn in 1984. This time, not as a lobbying group, but as a group reporting on the document flow.

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Tantalizing stories of Australian Government involvement 2

A multi-witness event, which included the finding of a large crushed area of grass, occurred at the Westall High School, Clayton, Melbourne on 6 April 1966. Witnesses related how military people had arrived, examined the site and took soil samples.
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3 Steven Greer’s campaign

The most well known, recent, and in deed, continuing project was one started by the US based Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI). The CSETI Project Starlight program was a disclosure project aimed to convey three facts:

1. “There is substantial scientific and witness evidence for the existence of ET life forms in proximity to the Earth.
2. While the specific motives of these life forms may not be totally understood, there is no evidence that they are hostile, and there is no reason for fear or alarm.
3. The world community needs to establish an open discussion on this matter and take constructive steps to ensure a peaceful, sustainable relationship with these life forms.”
(Greer p4.)

CSETI was seeking “The definitive disclosure that we are not alone in the universe, and that, more importantly, these advanced life forms are landing on terra firma…” (Greer p5.)

Greer’s expressed view was that this revelation would mean an alteration of “…the fundamental paradigm of how we view ourselves, the world of humanity and the universe” leading to a functional, peaceful civilised world.

There were in fact two threads to CSETI. One was the Project Disclosure Starlight project and the other was the CE5 initiative. This latter initiative was aimed at intentionally establishing direct contact with ET spacecraft. CSETI claimed this was successful on a number of occasions in Mexico, England, Belgium and the US.

What was the methodology of the Project Starlight program?

In 1993 CSETI began an undertaking to brief world leaders on the subject of the UFO phenomenon with an aim of demonstrating the existence/reality of UFOs as extraterrestrial craft. This would then lead to the active participation of world leaders in disclosing the truth to the world. A meeting was arranged of military and civilians who met to discuss how best to liaise with the Government.

Two years later, in 1995, another meeting was convened of the most important military and government witnesses who had been located-two dozen of them. The ultimate aim was said to be open hearings of the US Congress on the subject.

By 1996 CSETI announced that it had completed the initial evidence and witness testimony gathering phase and initial round of briefings of world leaders.

By the following year, 1997, CSETI had arranged a Washington D.C. meeting of nearly 20 of the first hand government witnesses it had located. These 20 were out of 107 such witnesses identified by CSETI. This closed, confidential briefing included members of Congress, congressional staff, White House staff, etc. The purpose of the meeting was for the attendees to hear direct witness testimony from the witness group. CSETI also handed out a Briefing Document which detailed UFO cases and US Government documents.

The Disclosure project then became a separate entity. The current “Disclosure project” website introduction states that it is “A nonprofit research project working to fully disclose the facts about UFOs, extraterrestrial intelligence and classified advanced energy and propulsion systems.” There is now said to be over 400 government, military and intelligence community witnesses.

The Disclosure Project held a high profile meeting at the National Press Club in 2001. At this meeting, the testimony of 20 government witnesses was presented, and known government documentation was discussed.
______________________________________________________________________Tantalizing stories of Australian Government involvement 3

In the 1990’s, the Head of the Military Police Unit, Department of Army in Adelaide attended a UFO Research (SA) meeting. He advised that he and his men were willing to conduct UFO interviews for the group. UFOR(SA) rejected the offer
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4 What has been done so far in Australia?

In the wake of the 1959 Reverend Gill close encounter case in New Guinea, civilian UFO groups undertook some “Disclosure” style action. A copy of Reverend Gill’s report was forwarded to all members of the Federal House of Representatives. Members were asked to lobby the Minister for Air for a statement from him on the Gill events.(Chalker 1996a.)

Senator J L Cavanagh, in 1963, asked “…that the Federal Government dossier on UFOs should be made public,” but the Minster of Air refused. (Good p162.)

Between 1982 and 1984 Bill Chalker examined the majority of the UFO files held by the RAAF at the Directorate of Air Force Intelligence offices in Canberra. He also reviewed the UFO files held by the Department of Aviation, in Melbourne. Bill has extensively reported on his findings in a large number of articles over the years as well as in his 1996 book “The Oz files.” (1996b.)

In September 1989, under the Federal FOI Act I requested access to and copies of documents which related to reported observations of UFOs made to, or referred to, the Department of Defence between 1 Dec 1977 and 1989. I received about 100 pages of information. These included details of 15 UFO cases, together with various letters and other documents.

Around this time I also used the Federal Archive Act under the release of documents more than 30 years old rule-to obtain copies of various RAAF files relating to observations and policy on the subject between 1955 into the early 1960’s. Several hundred pages of information were obtained in this way.

What of other Government agencies?

In August 1989, I sent off Freedom of Information requests to a number of other Australian Government agencies including the Federal Police, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, and the then Department of Transport and Communications. Each of these Government agencies advised they did not hold any documents relating to UFOs.

In 1994 Bill Chalker used the FOI Act to attempt to unearth documentation from the DIO (JIB & JIO). However, this had to be abandoned due to costs and the claimed exemptions.

2002

In February 2002, two individuals from New South Wales, Dyson Devine and Vivienne Legg forwarded information about the US Disclosure Project to Australian parliamentarians. A letter, accompanied by a summary of the Disclosure project was sent to each of the 222 members of the Australian Federal Parliament, covering both the Senate and the House of representatives. 10% of the Parliamentarians were said to have responded. Devine and Legg’s comments were that “…not a single one of these responses was appropriate.” (web site www.gaiaguys.net/DisclosureprojectAustrepli.htm)

2002 AUFORN efforts

Through a series of notices in the Australasian UFOlogist, AUFORN has been seeking to raise the profile of Disclosure and has called for interested parties to become involved in an Australian Disclosure project.

2003

Recently, I undertook some research into what opinions Australian UFO groups and individual researchers had on the topic of “Disclosure”. In addition this research looked at what action these groups/individuals had taken, or would like to take, in the Australian context.

Firstly, I spoke to a number of people in Australia. Secondly, I circulated a ten question questionnaire to Australian UFO research groups and individual researchers seeking their views on these questions. I’d now like to spend a little time analysing the results of the responses (21 in total, mainly from UFO organisations) I received.

Question one was: “When the word “disclosure” is used in the context of the UFO phenomenon, what do you think of?” (Multiple responses were permitted)

· Steven Greer’s “Disclosure” project 13 Yes

· Attempts by UFOlogists in various countries to find out what their Government knows about UFOs 17 Yes

· That Governments in general should tell us what they know about UFOs 14 Yes

· That the Australian government should tell us what it knows about UFOs 10 Yes

Comments that were made relevant to this question were:

“I don’t believe Governments could care less, or it’s beyond them and would prefer that we don’t upset the boat.”

“Get hard evidence-solids-artifacts.”

“Make this knowledge available as possible to general public-via conferences etc.”

“Encouraging witnesses to come forward with information etc even on strict confidential basis.”

“A perhaps well meaning programme, with mixed wild and woolly agendas, that falls short of providing an appropriate form for legitimate ‘disclosure’ witnesses to come forward in. Many well regarded US researchers regard Greer’s disclosure project in a negative light.”

Question 2 was: “How much do you know about Steven Greer’s “Disclosure” project?”

“Asked for recent information on current base (UFO) in certain areas of NSW”\

“Obtained copies of sighting forms from the …flap from RAAF.”

“Letters to RAAF base requesting liaison and info re incidents…results were positive and some liaison was established.”

“Wrote to Air force asking which Department took UFO reports. No response.”

“Wrote to RAAF and DOD requesting copies of Annual Summaries (1970’s-1980’s) plus explanatory and investigative details on specific cases. Usually received Summaries plus at least partial replies to other questions.”

Undertaken any other action which you would define as a “Disclosure” act?
(Please describe)

“Only to tell the TV radio paper etc of all the activity in the …and around town…”

“Spoken to those involved in disclosure and part of the military cover up!”

“We have given many lectures on the CSETI Disclosure Project at our meetings. “

“Have personally contacted various military sources following sighting reports-they were usually polite but never confirmed UFO activity or imparted any meaningful information.”

“Have asked Local Member what they know, also through radio shows encouraged people to phone in and talk publicly on UFOs…”

“Lobbying heads of government departments for references and guidelines; viewing government documents under the authority of defence act through contacts.”

“Tracked down and interviewed people with significant roles in government UFO activity such as O. H. Turner, J Farrands, J O’Farrell, M Duggin , G Barlow.”

Question 5 was: “Do you or your organisation think that we should collectively initiate an Australian “Disclosure” project (Where “disclosure” is defined as a process whereby we actively seek to have the Australian government tell us what it knows about the UFO phenomenon).”

Yes 19

Any comments?
· “It’s a waste of time because the alien abduction program is our primary threat and it is well established right under our noses!!”

“We will still only obtain information that is not a national security risk.”

“The UFO groups should first share their information then we approach the government.”

“If it is collectively judged to be likely to produce additional information not already released.

“You would never get to the truth. Defence Department does not tell our Prime Minister anything.”

“Yes, if it is an intelligent, well-organised, sensible and well supported effort, independent of the agendas and image problems of the Greer disclosure project in the US.”

Question 6 was: If you answered yes to 5.

What do you think we should do? (Multiple responses are permitted)

· Use the Freedom of Information Act in states and Federally to see what
information comes out this way 17 Yes

· Use the Federal Archives Act -under the 30 year rule - and see what comes out this way 15 Yes

“Think of each country or well organised system of each to eventually join as one world system or mayor body.”

“Encourage groups such as PRA to make available official & relevant documents they claim they have on official UFO activities & encourage ‘disclosure’ with civilian and similar organisations and individuals (and perhaps as a first priority.)”

“We would canvass our members to see if they are willing to disclose their experiences and provide what information we have on our files…”

“Try questions in Parliament-but only with right political timing and re very best proven cases.”

“Collective lobbying so that our word reaches the Senate.”

Question 7 was: Would you or your organisation actively support an Australian “Disclosure” project (Where “disclosure” is defined as a process whereby we actively seek to have the Australian government tell us what it knows about the UFO phenomenon)

Yes 20

· “Within available, limited time and resources.”

Question 8 was: If you answered yes to 7. What would you be willing to do?

· Use the Freedom of Information Act in states and Federally to see what
information comes out this way 13 Yes 1 Don’t know (depends on cost)

· Use the Federal Archives Act -under the 30 year rule - and see what comes out this way 14 Yes

“Remember have to stop acting like “the sceptic association” and gain trust of those who have had encounters and abductions-not put them down-need to gain trust and respect for the victim.”

“Should a Disclosure Project be established in Australia (with or without the US group), Ufologists must learn to work and co-operate with each other. This should be part of the code of conduct. Also, workshops should be established with experienced Disclosure people conducting lectures.”

“Encourage private individuals to show videos…I do think that if we can get the ideas of disclosure disseminated and urge all ufo groups to show them in a public venue.”

“I believe I can speak for our organisation when I say that we are finding it hard enough to fund our own organisation and its activities, maintain our wesbite and find the time to devote to organisation of our monthly meetings, providing lecturers, videos, information to stimulate our audiences and earn a living. Most of our members are still in the workforce. Steven Greer’s Disclosure Project is so well organised and possibly we could contribute in some way to that rather than set up another structure. The amount of US Govt involvement in Pine Gap and other areas of Australia also suggest that we should join with this group and further our mutual desire for disclosure by Govts of all nations but more particularly the US/Australian Govt collaboration.”

“If a disclosure type project is to happen here we should start asap."

“Most ufo groups can’t organise themselves never mind organise such a big task as this. It has to be separate.

“Our government knows very little. Our Prime Minister does not have a clearance to know what is happening in his own country. The bases totally controlled by people that have higher clearance than J Howard Prime Minister.”

“It is our experienced belief that there is no government or RAAF documents available to add to disclosure. Army files, ASIO and ASIS files that have been examined are expected never to be released, however the probability of the said documents may exist in private archives.”

“Establish a credible “board of review” to assist in verification of bonafides of uncovered data & witnesses.”

“Critical evaluation of data & witnesses rather than uncritical acceptance of ‘disclosure’ claims.”

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Tantalizing stories of Australian Government involvement 4

In the late 1990’s, an Adelaide UFO researcher visited the front gate of Pine Gap. Among the men who responded to her unannounced arrival, she was surprised to recognise a man who had attended a recent Brisbane UFO conference.
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5 Strategy for a new push

It is clear from both the questionnaire survey and my conversations/communications with individuals/organisations, that a clear majority of respondents believe we should initiate an Australian Disclosure project. Not only this, but that Australian UFO organisations would clearly actively support such an initiative, provided it was undertaken in a professional and credible manner.

Perceived difficulties relate to finding time and resources to participate in the project, and a feeling that perhaps the end result would not be achievable. To this I can only say, let’s give it a go.

How would we go about an Australian “Disclosure” project? Based on the responses from Australian UFO groups and individual researchers, one approach could be:

Action one would involve action by all Australian UFO groups/individual researchers.

For Australian UFO groups to each appoint a specific “Disclosure Project” liaison person

For Australian UFO groups and interested individuals to search their files for what they consider to be outstanding, well documented, examples of the UFO phenomenon. Once located, that these be photocopied and sent to the “Australian Disclosure Project” for step four.

For all of us to encourage individuals who have information which is currently not in the public domain to come forward with this and allow the Disclosure Project to document their knowledge.

Action two would be to

Consolidate existing documentation about prior document searches and outcomes and establish an archive of this material

Search for more existing Government UFO documents
using both the Freedom of Information and Archive Acts.

Archive Act

· Obtain copies of RAAF policy documents and UFO sighting reports from 1962-1972, which will now be available from the Australian Government Archives, under the 30 year rule
· Look for UFO documents in the Archive material of other Federal Government agencies.

Freedom of Information Act

Request RAAF for copies of any policy documents or documents relating to UFO sightings between 1989 and now

Submit FOI requests for documents dealing with UFOs to a range of Australian Government agencies.

What Federal Government agencies could we expect to have documentation relating to UFOs? A partial listing might go as follows:

The Royal Australian Air Force

The Royal Australian Navy

The Australian Army

The Bureau of Meteorology

Airservices Australia

Australian Secret Intelligence Service

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

Australian Transport Safety Bureau

Civil Aviation Safety Authority

CSIRO Atmospheric Research

CSIRO Office of Space Science and Application

Defence Intelligence Organisation

Defence Science and Technology Orgnisation (DSTO)

Department of Defence

Department of Transport and Regional Services

Emergency Management Australia

Office of National Assessment

Defence Signals Directorate-(Australia’s equivalent of the US National Security Agency-electronic surveillance)

(Note: Some of the above are specifically excluded under the Federal FOI Act.)

Action three would be to:

Locate and document, any Australian Parliamentary questions and responses about UFOs, of which there have been a number over the years. This would provide a background to previous Parliamentary interest, if any.

Action four would be to prepare a “Hard Evidence” document

I would propose that we work collaboratively together to prepare a “Best Australian UFO cases document” which would.

Presents details of the “best” Australian UFO evidence

Document what is currently known about the Australian Government’s involvement in UFOs.

I would envisage the “Australian Disclosure Project” preparing a multi case document on our behalf. This would then be distributed to:

Selected media outlets

Members of Federal parliament

Potential funding sources

All Australian UFO organisations.

How to fund this? Perhaps it might be possible to produce a commercially viable book version, or seek a sponsor of some kind.

Action five would be to use this “evidence” to lobby the Federal Government to fully and openly reveal what it knows about the UFO phenomenon. The precise format of this lobbying exercise would be determined while steps one to four were underway.

As to timeline, so much would depend on the degree to which individuals and groups were prepared to support the project. I can’t see steps one to four taking less than three years.

6 The challenge

My survey of, and discussions with, Australian UFO research groups, and individuals shows that there is indeed a widespread support for a Disclosure style project here in Australia. Consensus was that organisationally, such a project needs to stand apart from any existing group/structure, but preferably be auspiced by the Australian UFO Research Network (which after all, represents all of us.)

Negotiations are now taking place about how to make this project happen. An announcement concerning the outcomes of discussions will hopefully be made at the conference.

The challenge before you is:

Individually, to decide how much of your time and effort you can contribute to this project

For established UFO organisations to decide how much of your organisation’s resources can be devoted to this project.